Electrochemistry

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Electrochemistry is the study of chemical processes that cause move to electrons. This movement of electrons is called electricity, When a chemical reaction is caused by an externally supplied current, as in electrolysis, or if an electric current is produced by a spontaneous chemical reaction as in a battery, it is called an electrochemical reaction. Chemical reactions which is being generated by movements of electrons from one element to another in a reaction known as an oxidation-reduction reaction.

An electrochemical cell is a device that produces an electric current from energy released by a spontaneous redox reaction; this can be caused from electricity. This kind of cell includes the Galvanic cell or Voltaic cell; Electrochemical cells have two conductive electrodes (the anode and the cathode). The anode is defined as the electrode where oxidation occurs and the cathode is the electrode where the reduction takes place. Electrodes can be made from any sufficiently conductive materials, such as metals, semiconductors, graphite, and even conductive polymers. In between these electrodes is the electrolyte, which contains ions that can freely move.

To provide a complete electric circuit, there must also be an ionic conduction path between the anode and cathode electrolytes in addition to the electron conduction path. The simplest ionic conduction path is to provide a liquid junction. To avoid mixing between the two electrolytes, the liquid junction can be provided through a porous plug that allows ion flow while reducing electrolyte mixing. To further minimize mixing of the electrolytes, a salt bridge can be used which consists of an electrolyte saturated gel in an inverted U-tube. As the negatively charged electrons flow in one direction around this circuit, the positively charged metal ions flow in the opposite direction in the electrolyte.
A voltmeter is capable of measuring the change of electrical potential between the anode and the cathode. Electrochemical cell voltage is also referred to as electromotive force or emf.

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